Town need to embrace spirit of 101

IT’S fair to say Town are looking to finish the season as positively as possible.

Jan Siewert, his staff and players are all determined to battle to the very end to preserve the club’s Premier League status.

Most believe it would take a footballing miracle for them to get close to pulling off that feat, but while the mathematics says it’s possible, it’s understandable they should use it as motivation.

Perhaps a glance back to a more successful season for the club can provide some inspiration as well. And there’s no better place to start than with our friends and favourites from the 101 Club.

Mick Buxton’s Fourth

Division champions of 1979-80 were handily placed in a promotion battle come the March, 39 years ago.

With the help of the best finish to a season in 55 years - 13 matches unbeaten - they eventually hunted down Walsall and pipped them to the title.

Town launched that 13-match run with a 2-0 victory over this weekend’s visitors Bournemouth, when Ian Robins and Keith Hanvey scored.

As recorded in Rob Stewart’s excellent story of the season - The 101 Club - Town took the crown by two points from Walsall, finishing with a 2-1 home win over Hartlepool which took them beyond the century of goals (hence the book title).

The 101 is the most league goals scored in a season by Town in their history, and the 61 netted at Leeds Road was also a best.

Were Town to match that team’s run-in over the final nine matches of seven wins and two draws, they would finish this season on 37 points.

Could that possibly be enough for Siewert and his men to stay up this season?